WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER SETS RECORD VISITS FOR YEAR 7,017,658 VISITS! 2,098,003 VISITORS MADE 6 VISITS A DAY EVERY DAY. 63,330 UNIQUE VISITORS MADE 133,730 VISITS IN DECEMBER. WPCNR AVERAGED 17,284 VISITORS A WEEK, VISITING 31,270 TIMES.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Tara L. Martin, County Board of Legislators. December 30, 2010:

Today, Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) released a statement condemning Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino for his useless veto of the county’s tax levy.  The FY 2011 tax levy – which will deliver a 2.25% tax cut to all Westchester residents – was approved by a vote of 10-1 on December 27.  The final approved budget was adopted on December 23, when the Legislature overrode 249 of Mr. Astorino’s 260 vetoes.

In an interview with Tara Martin, spokesperson for the Board of Legislators, Martin said the Astorino veto was described as “symbolic” by Ned McCormack, the Director of Communications for the County. She also said that unless Mr. Astorino filed a Show Cause Order the tax levy would go into affect midnight tomorrow night. “He has 24 hours to decide what he (Astorino) wants to do. It’s illegal.(The Astorino veto)”

Jenkins in a statement said:  “It would appear that Mr. Astorino and his advisors need to brush up on their knowledge of the County Charter.  In Section 167.111, it clearly states that ‘when the county budget shall have been finally adopted, an appropriation act for such budget shall be passed by the County Board and taxes for the ensuing year, including state, county and special district taxes, shall be levied not later than December 28th. The County Board shall levy, assess and cause to be raised by tax upon real property liable therefore the amount of taxes determined by such budgets and in the manner provided for the levy of state and county taxes.

The Budget Act is not a normal Act.  The Budget Act is very specific in the actions that can be taken.  Mr. Astorino exercised his Charter authority to veto line items within 5 days of receiving the approved budget from the County Board.

The budget was not finally adopted until December 23, 2010 until his 260 line item vetoes were considered by the County Board.  The required Tax Levy Appropriation Act is ministerial, a result of the final adopted budget, beginning with the recommended budget, additions by the Budget and Appropriations Committee, deletions to the recommended budget and sustained vetoes.   In fact, the Budget Director develops the Tax Levy Appropriation Act and the Legislature is required to adopt such appropriations Act by December 28.   This is the Charter role and sole responsibility of the Legislature.

There is nothing for Mr. Astorino to approve, the news release states.

With regards to Mr. Astorino’s outrageous assertions in relation to the Budget process, every detail of the budget process as outlined in the County Charter was followed.  The Minority caucus chose not to make any additions to the budget.  The Budget and Appropriations Committee spent 3 weeks hearing presentations from the Commissioners and Department heads. 

Over 2,000 people participated in the public hearing process and the County Board web-streamed the committee meetings live and have all the sessions available on-demand.  The Budget and Appropriations Committee worked throughout the year, having regular meetings with the various County departments in fulfilling the role of the County Board in providing oversight of the County budget.  This budget is balanced, accessible and transparent.

Frankly, it is my expectation that in the ensuing year, Mr. Astorino’s administration will be more participatory in the open and transparent committee structure of the Legislature where his proposed initiatives will be vetted in public where good public discourse could take place.

Finally, I think it is completely counterproductive that Mr. Astorino and his staff to continue to use inflammatory and malicious language in various policy debates.  The people of Westchester expect their elected officials to be leaders and to act responsibly and respectfully while we develop creative solutions to Westchester’s challenges.

Reasonable people can disagree without being disagreeable and offensive.”

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WPCNR WINGS, WHEELS & RAILS. From the Metro-North Commuter Council and the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council. December 29, 2010:

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WPCNR POLICE GAZETTE. From Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong. December 27, 2010:

Here is the latest on road conditions in White Plains from the Department of Public Safety as of 11 A.M.;

The roads are generally passable although there is drifting. The hilly areas have invisible patches of black ice so drivers regardless of their autos, suv’s or 4X4’s must remember, ice is ice! If you need not go out and drive, then don’t as we advise the less traffic will allow our DPW to clean the streets without traffic obstruction.  T

here are no major power outages to report and we remind people who are shoveling to take it easy and pace themselves. 

The Mayor has been up all night along with the commissioners and we think we have weathered this very intensive storm as best we can. Also, please if you are shoveling, do not throw the snow back into the roadway. This causes double work and as the temperatures drop tonight will cause icing and very slick roads.  In case of emergency, call 911.

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WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the Westchester County Department of Communications. (EDITED) December 23,2010:

County Executive Robert P. Astorino today scolded the Democratic-majority of the Board of Legislators for overriding hundreds of budget vetoes, and adopting a 2011 budget filled with “runaway” spending and “speculative” revenues.  

            Astorino said that on Monday he will begin a detailed review of the budget with his budget and finance team to come up with a full assessment of the damage.

            Astorino in November had proposed a spending plan for next year that cut the county levy by 1 percent, protected the county’s most needy, continued all essential services and protected the county’s three AAA bond ratings.

            After the legislators adopted a 2011 operating budget that restored millions of dollars in funding, Astorino used his line-item authority last week to veto $33.5 million in spending . The board Thursday overrode most of Astorino’s vetoes, restoring $32 million in spending, over the objections of the board’s five Republicans in most every case.

            In the capital budget, the Democrats restored approximately $71 million in pet projects of questionable legality, which Astorino had vetoed.

            “The Democrats had the 12 votes to override my vetoes,” Astorino said. “This is how the democratic process works. They now have to be accountable for their votes.”

            Astorino singled out the Board’s action on the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program for particular criticism.

            In October, the county notified the state that it was no longer interested in running the Section 8 program. Astorino said the county was losing money on the contract to run this state and federal program. Astorino then gave the state the required 60-day notice to terminate the contract, and the county employees who ran the program were given layoff notices. The state has meanwhile begun action to take over the program and has issued an RFP (request for proposals) for a replacement contract. 

            The county executive once again criticized the legislators for taking down the county’s reserve fund to  dangerous levels.

            “That is the kind of reckless action that gets a county’s bonds downgraded. We need look no farther than Nassau County to see that the credit ratings agencies are not fooled by one-shots and gimmicks,” Astorino said.

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 WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From the County Board of Legislators (EDITED) December 23, 2010:

The County Legislature today voted 16-1, overriding County Executive Rob Astorino’s vetoes to deliver a  2011 County budget that delivers a 2% tax reduction for all County taxpayers

However that overall county tax reduction may actually result in some communities in a tax increase, depending on where you live. It is impossible to tell until the actual tax rates come out and tax bills received. WPCNR reported that his actually happened last year in White Plains

In 2009, the county touted a 1.77% property tax increase but in White Plains County Taxes when all three taxes were considered, White Plainsians got socked with a 7.2% increase. See our story on this at http://www.whiteplainscnr.com/article7293.html 

In a bi-partisan vote of 16-1, the budget reduced spending by $28.5 million dollars (from 2010 budget), reduced the County workforce by 10%, restores critical services for most in need, provides transitional timetables as the County continues to recalibrate agencies and presents a more fiscally responsible alternative to the County Executive’s budget proposal.  

Last month, Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino presented his first County budget, which included severe budget cuts to the social safety net and funding for vital services for Westchester’s working families at a time when Westchester needs to invest in the future and move forward.  If the Legislature didn’t override the Astorino vetoes, it would have resulted in a tax increase — from the -2% that we previously approved that all the vetoes amounted to the difference of 2 tenths of one percent.

“Westchester County’s budget is balanced and on time, and it will lower the county tax levy. This budget right-sizes government, and not capsizes it,” Board Chairman Kenneth W. Jenkins (D-Yonkers) said. “This year, the County has to make exceedingly difficult decisions.  We took this responsibility with the utmost seriousness and made an effort to ensure that every budget decision was thoughtful and deliberate. Despite these obstacles, the Democratic Majority has presented a budget that will preserve the most critical County services without raising taxes.”

Highlights of Legislature’s FY 2011 Adopted Budget

·   Tax Reduction of 2% to the county tax levy vs. County Executive’s proposed -1%

·   Total spending $1.79B =       $28.5M from 2010 budget

·   Reduces County workforce by 10% (funded through grants, additional revenue & corresponding deletions)

·   Eliminates County Executive’s proposed one-shot to bond tax certioraris = cash vs. credit for operating costs (maintains fiscally responsible fund balance)

·   Fairly restores balances and protects public safety, health and essential services

·   Identified opportunities for shared services between Dept of Emergency Services & Dept of Public Safety; will continue stakeholder inclusion of merger discussion

·   Provides six-months transitional funding for community mental health clinics, pending contracts that must be in place per Section 41.07 of the NYS Mental Hygiene Law

·   Restores funding of community health centers & child care services

·   Reinstates County’s contract of the Section 8 program